The leader of the Liberal Democrat group on a local council who said an alleged rape victim was too ugly to be sexually assaulted has resigned from the party.

Philip Drury, shadow cabinet leader of East Hampshire District Council, made the comment on Facebook about 21-year-old fashion student Serena Bowes, who claimed she was raped in Italy.

'Not sure anyone would want to even think about it looking at her lol,' the senior local politician posted in response to a thread discussing Miss Bowes' case.

'Offensive': Philip Drury, left, shadow cabinet leader of East Hampshire District Council, said no one would want to rape fashion student Serena Bowes, right, who claimed she was sexually assaulted in Italy

'Vile': A grab from Facebook shows the thread in which Mr Drury made the comments

Mr Drury stepped down from his Lib Dem position after a council investigation found no action should be taken against him because he was acting in a private capacity.

Maintaining he made the decision to stand down as a result of work pressures, he remains a councillor for Whitehill's Hogmoor ward but now sits on the council as an independent.

Mr Drury put his comment, which was immediately slammed as 'awful' and 'vile' by others on Facebook, down to tiredness following a business trip in China.

He was quoted as saying by Solent News Agency: 'I was excessively tired and was working nights. I had just come back from an excessive Chinese business trip - I was tired. I will remain on the council.

'That is all I want to say until I release a press release.'

Other Facebook users reacted with fury, with one labelling Mr Drury a ‘pitiful excuse for a human being’ and another saying they would not want to be represented by a councillor who made the comment.

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Councillor Ferris Cowper, Conservative leader of East Hampshire District Council, said Mr Drury’s comment was regarded ‘offensive'. He called the council’s decision to allow him to stay ‘deeply disappointing’.

'For the record and as you would expect, this council finds the crime of rape to be deeply deplorable not only because of the physical invasion but also the lasting psychological consequences,' Mr Cowper said.

'Our only interest as a council would be to offer the victim all the sympathy and assistance possible.

'Although EHDC has now exhausted its legal options, the Council remains disappointed both with the actions of the councillor and also the effectiveness of the regulatory regime.'

Miss Bowers in Florence: The second-year Newcastle College student, who is hoping to join the Army when she graduates, had been on a trip to the city as part of her fashion course when she said she was raped

Alleged rape victim Miss Bowes, 21, who waived her right to anonymity, is now facing extradition and a possible 12 years in jail because Italian police believe she may have made up the incident.

Alexander Tahiri asked police to open a case of slander against Miss Bowers after officers decided not to charge him following an investigation

The second-year Newcastle College student, who is hoping to join the Army when she graduates, had been on a trip to Florence last May as part of her fashion course.

She had visited the nightclub in the city's Via della Vigna Vecchia with a group of friends, and says she had started talking to Alexander Aveiro Tahiri, 23, inside.

She claims that as the the pair were made their way to the VIP area of the club, she was taken to the unisex toilet and attacked.

The alleged assault was reported to police, and gave statements to officers, as well as being examined in hospital.

Italian news reports from the time the allegations were made said police had watched CCTV images which showed Miss Bowes leaving the bathroom together with Mr Tahiri, who was employed by the nightclub.

He faced no further action. He later lost his job with the club as a result of the allegation after bosses said 'having sex in the toilets is not what he is being paid for.'

Miss Bowes returned to Newcastle and tried to put the trip behind her, until she was sent a letter from Italian police, which she took to a nearby police station to be translated.

She expected to hear that her alleged attacker was to be prosecuted. Instead she was served notice that she will go on trial for ‘slander’ against Mr Tahiri.

Under the Italian justice system if Miss Bowes is prosecuted she would not have to be present at the trial. If she were convicted she would be automatically entitled to two appeals.

If she lost those appeals, judges could then start extradition proceedings although this is very unlikely as in Italy most sentences are suspended, except for very serious crimes.

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Lib Dem's Philip Drury quits after saying no one would want to rape Serena Bowes